This blog contains information about the basic teachings and history of the FLDS Church.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

FLDS People 101 - Others told to pack up

Besides the four Barlow brothers, there were 17 others who were publically berated by Warren on January 10, 2004, and stripped of everything they possessed. Here is a little information about some of these men.

Roland Jay Barlow

Roland was the son of Dan Barlow, the mayor. It is unclear why Warren threw him out, but he probably believes Roland was conspiring with his father and uncles for power.

Warren soon remarried Roland’s wives to others. At the Ramada Inn at Mesquite Nevada, Warren performed some marriages. “I told the former wives of Roland Barlow that their former husband could not exalt them and the Lord had another place for them for time and eternity and they received it.” He married Patricia Ann Holm Barlow to Joseph Steed. Edmund Barlow Allred was married to Linda Fay Darger Barlow and Bonnie Jean Darger Barlow. Warren wrote, “These ladies were so happy at these weddings. There was not a mourning of looking back that they have lost. They had a living gratitude of faith exerted that the Lord was blessing them and their children. It was very pleasant to witness.

Two days later Warren got a report that Roland was “most bitter” after learning that his wives were sealed to other men by Warren. In July, he received another report, this one from his brother Hyrum who had visited Dan and Roland who were living in St. George. He reported that they were “strong and have firm testimony, were doing well. They had been gathering with others to encourage each other.” Warren hated to hear the men were gathering together and he wanted to see it stopped.

By July 2005, Dan and Roland were working with Don Holm, doing welding.

In March, 2007, two of Roland’s wives were listed in the YFZ bishop’s record as wives to Edmund Lorin Allred. These two wives, Linda and Bonnie were still living in Hildale, not at the ranch. Linda had 12 children 18 and under and Bonnie had three children 6 and under. All their names were listed as “Allred” with no indication that they were really Barlows.

In 2010, Roland had a facebook page and was employed by Ivins City Fire Department (northwest of St. George). He was a training officer, firefighter/paramedic, and emergency management coordinator staff. On his facebook relationship tag (married, single, etc), he put: “It’s complicated.” No doubt it is.

Hyrum Jeffs

Hyrum is Warren’s older brother. It is unclear why Warren tossed him out. Did he feel threatened by his older brothers? Did they know something that could challenge his leadership?

In May after Hyrum went to visit the Barlow brothers, Warren was critical of Hyrum’s assessment of the Barlows. It appeared that Hyrum was trying to put a good word in for them. Hyrum expressed “loyalty” to Warren, but Warren’s harsh conclusion was that it was obvious that Hyrum hadn’t repented yet and wasn’t “submissive.” Warren demanded that all his followers be “submission” and never question him about this decisions or actions.

David Jeffs

David is also an older brother of Warren’s. A few months later, on April 27, 2004, Warren said the Lord showed him that David Jeffs could not exalt his wives, had lost the confidence of God, and it had been revealed to him who he should marry his wives to. He traveled to Mesquite, Nevada and performed these marriages in a motel. He first talked to the ladies over a phone and asked them if they were willing to go forward with the marriages. They all said yes.

But when Madeline Barlow Jeffs found out that she was to be married to Merril Jessop, she wasn’t very happy. “There was some emotion but she acted on correct principle and at least put on an outward show of a smile.”

Susanna Barlow Jeffs, David’s first wife, was the next to be married. Warren was very displeased with her. “I asked her again if she received the Lord’s message. She hesitated a long time. She asked if there was any hope for David Jeffs. I said, ‘I love my brother, but I love God most and I will tell you the truth, what the Lord as shown me, that David cannot exalt his ladies, but if he will continue in his repentance, he can earn a degree of salvation.’ Every step was a long hesitation for her. She finally said, almost in a whisper, ‘I want to do what the Lord want me to do.’ I said to her, ‘I have told you what the Lord want you to do.’” Warren then released her from being sealed to her husband David.

Warren explains further, “I then brought Jim Allred in and she would hardly look up. She would hardly take his hand. As the ceremony ended he was smiling and she was looking down, and I said ‘You may kiss the bride,’ and she would hardly do it. She would hardly handshake for congratulations and she would hardly take his hand to go out to the car. So she showed a great spirit of resistance, yet she went through with it.” Warren believed that she had been living like a gentile for many years. “Now she needs to learn to submit to Priesthood and the ways of God.”

Poor lady. Clearly she was forced into this marriage. She was a little over 50 years of age and the sister to Madeline.

In October, 2005, a story broke that Warren, a fugitive, had been spotted in a wheelchair both at Cabala’s in Lehi, Utah and at Colorado City. Someone from Colorado City later wrote, “The man in the wheelchair was David Jeffs, Warren's brother. He was accompanied by a few of his sons and their wives. One of his sons is very tall and does bear a resemblance to Warren. The white SUV belongs to him. And David and Warren are not very close, David being the victim of Warren's familial genocide.”

Brian Jeffs

Brian was believed to be allowed to return to the FLDS within a couple months. However, in August 2005, Warren had a dream with Brian in it. “The Lord showed me Brian Jeff’s heart in this. He was weeping and doubtful and fearful about himself how he had not raised his family right, and this son and that son was falling away. And the Lord showed me through his doubts, fears, and worries, he was without the Spirit of God, and thus without Priesthood. He was involved in some sort of business with Priesthood people, but he was becoming darkened.”

5 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I just cannot imagine living a life where someone else other than my own husband suddenly decides our marriage is completely over, and that I must marry another person literally immediately. Then that someone else writes everything down in a personal record how I reacted to these things.Such outlandish, wicked cruelty, such utterly bizarre stuff! No matter how much I read about flds practices I still experience shock at the cruelty and insanity. I simply cannot comprehend how flds put up with such heart-rending abuse of themselves and those they love. I just cannot understand how they do not see the terrible hypocrisy,irrationality, and evil in their leaders and in their belief system.

Just to add to this blog a little about my Dad, Hyrum Jeffs. He was the oldest living male child of my grandfather, Rulon Jeffs and therefore could be a contender for the "Prophetship". My grandfather had asked my dad if he had the testimony to lead the people, but my Dad declined the invitation. My dad was faithful to "The Work" but had marital difficulties with his two wives and didn't consider himself worthy. This difficulty with his wives and his friendship with the Barlow Boys (his 2nd wife was a Barlow) was enough to get him axed at the big get together.